You Have a Sister
by redroosterdawn
Summary: Summary: Mac’s life moves forward after she finds a daughter on a trip to Iraq.
1. Chapter 1

Title: _**You Have a Sister**_

author:_ rooster dawn_

pairing: Harm and Mac

Time: Season 10

Summary: Mac's life moves forward after she finds a daughter on a trip to Iraq.

Disclaimers: The characters of JAG are the property of Donald Bellisario and Bellisarius Production, Inc. Used without permission. No copyright infringement intended. May be reproduce if unchanged, author given full credit, and no financial transaction is involved.

_Feedback is greatly appreciated and welcomed._

part one Having squid for lunch

Tuesday

15 March 2005

General's office

Lieutenant Colonel Sarah MacKenzie had had enough. There was just so much insubordination that she would take from him. She didn't care whether or not Lieutenant Vukovic was a favorite of the General or not.

It was time that the General got off the stick and disciplined the Lieutenant. There was no way he was going to show her any respect if the General wasn't going to discipline him whenever he violated proper military protocol.

If she was expected to work with him and train him to be a top notch lawyer, then she needed him to do what she told him to do, when she told him to do it, and no questions asked. She didn't need his insubordination or the headache associated with it.

"Sir, he needs to be discipline. He constantly flaunts the regulations, he doesn't follow proper JAG or NCIS procedures, and he is disrespectful of senior officers here at Jag and aboard ship." informed Mac."He's under your guidance Colonel. I'm sure you can handle him." smirked the General. He had heard that she had handled Commander Rabb when she first came on board. If that was true then she shouldn't have any trouble dealing with Lieutenant Vukovic."Maybe if I had the power to punish him Sir, but I don't. You didn't give that authority to me. I don't think he has respect for women in the military and he surely doesn't have any for Marines. He feels that only the Navy is fit for command Sir." replied Mac. She knew the last bit of information would get the General's goat."I'm sure you're embellishing a bit Colonel." responded the General not really believing her."No Sir, he told me so himself. He doesn't believe Marines are worthy of being in command of any Naval personnel." replied Mac.

The General didn't like Lieutenant Vukovic's attitude concerning Marines. He knew Vukovic was in need of an attitude adjustment. The Colonel wasn't the only one to have complained about him.

He had received more than several reports from Captains aboard carriers that the lieutenant had gone to who didn't appreciate his insolent behavior or attitude. He had a friend who was currently serving in Iraq, a Major Jason Alexander.

He was a big man with a gruff exterior who took no quarter from anyone. On the inside he had a heart of gold. He would do anything for a friend, especially for General Biff Cresswell.

He had saved the General's life once when they were in Iraq. The Major had recently asked him for some help in solving a criminal case. Looks like the good Lieutenant has just volunteer himself.

"Coates, tell Lieutenant Vukovic I want to see him ASAP." ordered the General.

"Yes Sir. He's in court right now." replied Jen."When he gets back tell him I want to see him before he does anything else Coates." ordered the General.

A big smile came across Mac's face. Finally the General had taken the stick out of six and was going to do something about the brash lieutenant. She was tired of apologizing to all the Captains and Cags for the insolent lieutenant's behavior.

An hour later Vic was in the General's office. He wondered what was wrong. Jen had told him that the General had sounded very angry when he requested his presence. He wasn't aware that he had done anything wrong, at least not today.

"Lieutenant Vukovic reporting as ordered Sir." report Vic standing smartly at attention.

"I need you to go to Iraq. One of the marines Jags there is in need of your assistance in solving a crime. I've been told that you think quickly on your feet and enjoy a good challenge. I know also know that you need experience on how to conduct a proper investigation." smirked the General.

Vic wasn't very happy. He had a date with a very lovely petite ensign this weekend. They were going on an excursion to Annapolis to do some maneuvers. He didn't like working with marines unless they were of the female persuasion.

Somehow he got the impression that the General didn't know very many marines of the female persuasion, only the hardcore grunts that looked like their mascot and had little or no sense of humor."You will be reporting to Major Jason Alexander. He's a very good friend of mine. He'll take good care of you while you're in Iraq. I expect to hear good things from him Lieutenant." smirked the General.

I'm sure he will, thought Vic. He probably eats his meals out of a mess kit and only drinks muddy water out of a canteen. He probably doesn't believe in any creature comforts. I doubt he even knows what a bed is.

"You'll probably be there for a month. Make sure you take everything that you will need." smirked the General. He could see the color drain from the Lieutenant's face.

"Yes Sir, thank you Sir." replied Vic sullenly before he sulked out the office. What was he going to do in Iraq for a month?

He wasn't very happy. He preferred going aboard ships if he had to go into a combat zone. Nothing good could come out of working with a marine in a combat zone in Iraq. Chances of getting hurt or killed were greatly increase.

Roberts was a good example of that. He was only going for a walk to the local school in a peaceful area and he lost a leg. He had also heard about the adventures that the Colonel and Commander had in Afghanistan.

The Commander had landed in a minefield after their jeep had run over some mines. Then he stepped on a mine and was very lucky to escape unharmed. Then the Commander and the Colonel almost got killed during a bombing run the same day.

They were shot at while traveling across Afghanistan. Hell he even heard that the Commander had a dirty nuke on his six when he was cruising the blue skies of the Indian Ocean. He had no interest in being in a combat zone and getting killed."What's wrong Vic? You're looking a little ill." asked Jen.

"The General is sending me to Iraq. It seems that a Marine is in need of my assistance. I'll be gone a month." sighed Vic."Good luck Sir. Keep your head down. Don't go off the beaten track or you might end up like Commander Roberts." smiled Jen. It seemed that the Colonel had finally gotten her way. She's got Vic out of headquarters for awhile.

Vic walked slowly back to his office to get his things. He had a couple of hours to get his gear and report to Norfolk to get the next COD out flying to the middle east. He wasn't very happy with this turn of events.

He didn't understand why he was being sent to Iraq. He didn't speak the language. Commander Rabb was a much better choice than he was. He had been to the middle east many times. He had gone in country on many occasions and survived.

Wouldn't it be better that he goes to Iraq and not him? Why was he going? What had he done? He couldn't think of anything that he had done wrong, at least not in the last few days.

Harm had noticed that Mac had returned to her office with a sense a satisfaction on her face. He went over to her office to see what had put her into such a good mood.

"What's up Mac? What put that smile on your face?" asked Harm. It must have been something good. She hadn't been too happy at work since the young lieutenant came aboard."The General finally took the proverbial stick out of his six. He's sending the smug lieutenant to Iraq for a month. I only wish it was longer." she replied."I supposed that you were somehow responsible for the midget sending him to Iraq." implied Harm."I appealed to his vanity and it finally paid off. I told him that the lieutenant had no respects for marines and that he thought that they should never be in command of naval personnel." she replied.

"He bought that?" asked a surprised Harm.

"Hook, line, and sinker. If I'm lucky he will find a way to screw up and stay there a while longer." smiled Mac.

"Not likely, he doesn't want to be there. He'll behave long enough to get out of there. It's not really marines he doesn't respect, it's women. Unless he insults or violates a woman while he over there he will be returning." replied Harm correcting her assumption.

"I have faith in the lieutenant. He will screw up somehow, bet on it." replied Mac.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: _**You Have a Sister**_

author:_ rooster dawn_

pairing: Harm and Mac

Time: Season 10

Summary: Mac's life moves forward after she finds a daughter on a trip to Iraq.

Disclaimers: The characters of JAG are the property of Donald Bellisario and Bellisarius Production, Inc. Used without permission. No copyright infringement intended. May be reproduce if unchanged, author given full credit, and no financial transaction is involved.

_Feedback is greatly appreciated and welcomed._

part two Checking the Progress

Tuesday

12 April 2005

Mac's office

The General sent for Mac to come to his office. Their special project had been in Iraq for almost a month now and he wanted to know how it was going. He wanted Mac to be the one to check up on how the lieutenant was doing and whether or not he was shaping up.

It was at her insistence that he do something to discipline the young lieutenant. It was only fair that she checked on his progress. He had eventually worked it out that Mac had worked him pretty good to get him do her dirty work.

They called it delegating when he was at command school. Coates told him that Rabb called it leading the opposition in the direction you want them to go and then giving them a little push.

He was interested in seeing what the Colonel's next step would be concerning the young lieutenant. What would she do next? What other discipline did she see the lieutenant being of need of? Maybe she would make a good CO after all.

Mac was in her office talking with Harm when Jen knocked on her door. They were making plans for the weekend.

"What is it Coates?" asked Mac.

Although she liked the Petty Officer, it was against military policy to call enlisted personnel by their first name. It was either their last name or their rank. Though Harm had a tendency to violate that policy a lot. It wasn't so bad when they were away from the office, but it shouldn't be done at work.

"The General would like to see you Ma'am." replied Jen.

"Do you know what he wants?" asked Mac. She had hoped to keep her distance from the General this week.

"No Ma'am. I have found out lately that I get into more trouble with him when I know what he wants and I try to anticipate his needs. It makes him feel stupid and incompetent." replied Jen.

"He told you that?" asked Harm a bit surprised by Jen's frankness though he thought that it was a distinct possibility. Jen could be too smart for her own good at times.

"No Sir, it's the constipated look he gets on his face when he can't out think me Sir." smiled Jen. She liked the Commander. She could express herself candidly to him and the Colonel without fear of reprisal.

"I hope you haven't told him that Petty Officer." smiled Mac in amusement. It amazed her how perceptive Jen could be and how sharp her mind worked.

"No Ma'am, but he keeps comparing me to his teenage daughter Cameron. Considering that his descriptions of his daughter's behavior aren't exactly flattering Ma'am." smiled Jen as she left the office.

"I wonder what he wants. It's seldom ever good. At least the Lieutenant Puke isn't here. It's like going to the principal's office when you have to deal with him." moaned Mac as she rambled on.

Harm laughed before commenting "I thought Marines loved all Marines."

"Not this Marine, I never know where I stand with him. It's like he's always testing me." answered Mac.

"I think he likes you Mac, but he thinks you've become too soft like a squid. He's probably trying to find out if you still have that hard shell that Marines are always boasting about." smiled Harm.

"I've been here at headquarters long enough that I don't need him to keep annoying me. If anyone has gotten soft in his old age, it's the General." replied Mac as she left to see the General.

General's office

JAG Headquarters

Mac went in to see the General. She didn't know why, but there was something about his demeanor that bothered her. She had Bud do a full background check on him shortly after he had arrived at Jag last fall.

When she read up on him she was quite surprised with what she found. She didn't understand how he ended up as the JAG. While he did have some Command experience, it wasn't in the typical command positions one usually associated with becoming the JAG.

Most of his command experiences were in combat divisions. He had very little actual courtroom experience. He was more of a behind the scenes lawyer, handling wills and pushing paperwork. A legal weenie was the term Bud liked to use.

She wondered what he really knew about being in the courtroom and about conducting investigations. Then again the Admiral wasn't exactly a gifted litigater either.

"You needed to see me Sir?" asked Mac.

"Yes Colonel, I need you to take a trip to Iraq and check on the status of Lieutenant Vukovic's progress. I need you to assess his work performance and see if he's ready to come back to Headquarters." explained the General.

"I don't need to go to Iraq to know the answer to that question Sir. It'll take more than a month for Major Alexander to adjust the Lieutenant's attitude and straighten him out before he begins to appreciate the privilege working here at Headquarters Sir." replied Mac.

"Humor me Colonel. Major Alexander is very adept at altering the attitude of young officers." smirked the General.

"I'm sure he is Sir, but I don't think he's met someone like the lieutenant before. I think he will be able to appreciate the lieutenant's problem if he's allowed to spend more quality time with him Sir. The lieutenant likes the excitement of a little action Sir.

He has no fear of dying. He likes pushing the limits Sir. Only seeing death everyday will make him appreciate what life has to offer him here Sir." Mac continued to explain.

"I don't think he can truly appreciate what it is to be a Marine until he has lived as a Marine for awhile. It will give him a greater understanding and appreciation for Marines. It will make him a better lawyer Sir."

"I thought you like challenges Colonel. Don't you think you can mold him into a good lawyer?" asked the General.

"One has to be willing to learn Sir. When I first came here to headquarters I thought I was a very good lawyer. I was young and had had some success. But most of my early work as a lawyer was doing legal work in Bosnia, not trial work or investigative work.

I was paired up with Commander Rabb. From the Commander I learned about being prepared for all possibilities, expect the unexpected. He taught me to be very thorough, no detail was ever too small, and to always look for the truth.

One of the most important things he stressed to me when investigating mishaps aboard ship was to respect the Commanding Officers and the CAG's. They had earned that respect after serving many years in the Navy or the Marines.

It was important to tell them that you were looking to find out what happen, what went wrong. You weren't there looking to blame someone. You're looking to identify the problem and to insure that the mishap didn't happen again.

Commanding Officers appreciated that kind of attitude from Jag or NCIS investigators. Harm understood this because he had been a combat officer. He understood more than anyone else that anyone involved with a mishap was only trying to do their job.

He doesn't believe that someone should persecuted just because something went wrong while you're doing your job. He also knew that people would cooperate more fully with you if you weren't looking to place the blame on someone." concluded Mac.

"I understand what you're trying to tell me Colonel, but I still want you to go to Iraq and confer with Major Alexander about Lieutenant Vukovic." the General insisted.

"Yes Sir." replied Mac.

Mac went back to Harm's office to talk to him. She wanted to let him know that she would be going to Iraq for a few days. She wasn't finished with Vukovic yet. She felt like hitting something.

"What did the Midget want Mac?" chuckled Harm as he saw the exasperated look on her face.

"He wants me to go to Iraq and check up on the problem child. I told him it was a waste of time. The lieutenant needs more than a month with the Major to become a better officer. He asked me to humor him." moaned Mac.

"How long are you going to be gone?" asked Harm.

"I shouldn't be gone more than a week. Two days of travel, one day with Major Alexander, and a few days taking care of some business for Bobbie. I guess we won't be able to get together this weekend." explained Mac.

"What does Bobbie want you to do?" asked Harm.

"I'm sure you're well aware that Bobbie is the champion of the lost and down trodden. In this case she's concerned with the Iraqi children who have been orphaned by the war and other sectarian conflicts.

With all the money that is being spent over there she wants to make sure that they are being taken care of. It does seem like a reasonable request for once." replied Mac.

"She's not really that bad Mac. Her heart is in the right place." replied Harm.

"Right ..... she only has agendas Harm. She's usually ill informed and doesn't want to listen to anyone who disagrees with her. She's lazy and doesn't do her homework. And you can bet the house that she will usually pick the wrong side.

She's worse than Webb. At least he knows what needs to be done, he's just not very good at getting it done." argued Mac.

"Well, that's why they have us to bail them out. Have a good trip Mac. I'll see you when you get back." smirked Harm.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: _**You Have a Sister**_

author:_ rooster dawn_

pairing: Harm and Mac

Time: Season 10

Summary: Mac's life moves forward after she finds a daughter on a trip to Iraq.

Disclaimers: The characters of JAG are the property of Donald Bellisario and Bellisarius Production, Inc. Used without permission. No copyright infringement intended. May be reproduce if unchanged, author given full credit, and no financial transaction is involved.

_Feedback is greatly appreciated and welcomed._

part three

Thursday

14 April 2005

Marine Headquarters

Basra, Iraq

Mac left the next day from Andrew. The flight to Iraq was long and tedious. She took some time to look through some of paperwork that Senator Laythem had given her. Bobbie was interested in seeing how the Children Without Parents Program was doing.

The poor and less fortunate were often overlook during bad times. Food, water, and clothing were hard to come by. They were usually gathered up by the stronger, more fit people. Bobbie wanted to make sure that the orphans were being well taken care of.

Mac arrived in the wee hours of the morning in Iraq. She was taken to her quarters in the officer's barracks. She would meet with Major Alexander at 1300 hours local later in the day.

After getting some sleep and a meal she met up with Major Alexander. She needed to talk to him about Vukovic. What she really wanted to do was tell the Major to write up a report requesting that Vukovic stay with him for another five or six months.

Major Jason Alexander stood up when Mac entered his office. He felt like whistling the Marine Hymn. Never in his life had he seen a Colonel in the US Marine Corp look as good as Mac.

The Marine Corp should use her in a recruiting commercial like the Navy used Commander Rabb a few years ago. They would meet all their recruiting goals if she was the face of the marines.

"Good afternoon Ma'am, it's good to have you aboard." greeted Jason as he stood at attention.

"At Ease Major. I'm sure you know why I'm here." replied Mac.

"Yes Ma'am, the General gave me the heads up that you were coming." replied Jason.

"I need a written report from you requesting that the lieutenant stay with you for an additional six months of training." ordered Mac.

"Ma'am? I don't think that's necessary. He seems to be a squared away squid." replied Jason.

"That's only because he doesn't want to be here Major. He's on his best behavior. He's a squid that doesn't appreciate what the Marines have to offer him. He has expressed his negative opinions about Marines to me and to others many countless of times.

He doesn't appreciate what Headquarters has to offer him. On top of that he doesn't respect women. They are only playthings to him." informed Mac.

"I have to admit that whenever I need to find him, he's usually with one of the woman in camp. He does have a knack of disappearing when I'm not watching him." agreed Jason.

"Good, then I will expect to see a report requesting an additional six months of training for the Lieutenant. His goals will be to learn to focus on the task at hand, he will not be distracted by female officers or enlisted,

and he will learn what it takes to be a Marine so whenever he has to represent them in court in the future, he'll understand why they did what they did.

One other thing, he needs to stay away from all the young women who are stationed here. He's not offering them what they need and he would be better serve to focus his attention to the task at hand." requested Mac.

"Yes Ma'am." Jason replied. He understood that when a senior officer said something to a junior officer in the manner of an order or not, it was meant to be followed.

"Now onto more important matters. Congresswoman Laythem is interested in the children without parents program. Are there any local orphanages in the area that I can visit?" asked Mac.

"Yes Ma'am. There's the local one in town called the Basra Orphanage. It's run by Mr. Mohammed and his wife. They have over fifty children under his care." replied Jason.

"Thank you Major, If you give me the directions to the orphanage I would like to visit them." smiled Mac.

Friday

15 April 2005

Basra Orphanage

After her talk with Major Alexander, Mac went to the local orphanage. It was run by a middle age man and his wife. They usually took care of thirty orphans, but since the initial military intervention, that number had grown to over fifty.

It was hard for them to take care of all the children. Food wasn't readily available and what there was, was now more expensive. Clothing and shoes were of short supply too. The Major had asked Mac to see what she could do for them.

"Hello Mr. Mohammed, my name is Colonel Sarah MacKenzie. Major Alexander has asked me to come and visit with you. He said you might be in need of some assistance. What may I do to help?" asked Mac in Arabic.

"He is a good man. He tries to help us as best as he can, but resources are said to be limited. My wife and I have run an orphanage for many years. We are set up to only handle twenty to twenty five children, but since the liberation there are many more children that are in need.

I have more than fifty children now, many are younger than six. We are in need of clothing, bedding, food, and books. If there is any way that you can help us, it would be greatly appreciated." he replied.

"Like Major Alexander, I am a lawyer. I have many connections in Washington, especially with relief organizations that are set up to help out war torn countries. If you can supply me with a list of your needs, I'm sure that I can get you what you need. Americans are very generous when it concerns children." offered Mac.

"Thank you very much Colonel. Your Arabic is very good. How is it that you have become so proficient?" he asked.

"My grandmother was from Persia. She taught me Farsi. Over the years I have learned many other languages depending on my country's need. With our involvement in Iraq, I decided to learn Arabic two years ago. I'm proficient in over ten languages." replied Mac.

Before their conversation could proceed any further, they were interrupted by a small girl. She appeared to be no more than four years of age. She was quite adorable.

"What is it Sarie?" he asked her.

She turned to Mac and asked "Are you my new mommy?" in Farsi.

Mac was taken by surprised by the little girl's question. She didn't know how to answer her. She was amazed though that the little girl looked so much like she did when she was that age.

"You must pardon her Colonel, she is quite young. She doesn't understand why you are here. She has been told this is where all the children who have lost their parent come. This is where they will be given new ones." he tried to explain.

"That's okay Sir. I'm getting married soon to a wonderful man. We have talked about having children, but unfortunately I might not be able to have any children of my own. We have been talking about adoption." replied Mac as she turned to the little girl.

"Would you like me to be your mommy?" asked Mac in Farsi.

"I would like that. You are beautiful." replied Sarie.

"Is it possible for me to adopt her?" asked Mac.

"We prefer that the children to be adopted by Iraqis or Iranians. It wouldn't go over well if people believe that we are selling our children to American for food and clothing." he replied.

"I'm Persian on my mother's side. And as I have demonstrated, I speak both Farsi and Arabic fluently. I would be able to teach her about her culture." offered Mac.

"You have me at a disadvantage Colonel, if I say no, you may not provide me with the supplies that I have requested." he argued.

"One has nothing to do with the other Sir. Even if you do say yes, I would still have to have to talk it over with my friend and see if he is amicable to the idea. There is a lot of money being spent to rebuild Iraq.

Some of it is supposed to be going to taking care of children who have lost their parents. And if you know of any other orphanages that are in need of assistance, please let Major Alexander or me know. We will make sure that they are taken care of too." rebutted Mac.

"Very well Colonel, you have made a convincing argument. But before I can agree to the adoption, it would be much easier if you are married." he replied.

Mac left Iraq the next day. She would need to see Bobbie when she got back to make the arrangements needed to help out Mr. Mohammed and the other orphanages.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: _**You Have a Sister**_

author:_ rooster dawn_

pairing: Harm and Mac

Time: Season 10

Summary: Mac's life moves forward after she finds a daughter on a trip to Iraq.

Disclaimers: The characters of JAG are the property of Donald Bellisario and Bellisarius Production, Inc. Used without permission. No copyright infringement intended. May be reproduce if unchanged, author given full credit, and no financial transaction is involved.

_Feedback is greatly appreciated and welcomed._

part four Reporting in

Sunday

17 April 2005

Harm's apartment

Mac didn't seen Harm last night. She had gotten in quite late Saturday night and didn't want to take a chance of waking him since he had court early Monday morning. She went home to her own apartment.

She headed over to Harm's apartment Sunday morning just before noon. She was nervous. She wanted to tell Harm about her trip to the orphanage and the little girl she met while she was there. She was so adorable. She just wanted to pick her up and hold her.

She knocked on the door and waited for Harm. She didn't have to wait long before Harm opened the door and took her into his arms to kiss her.

"Can I talk to you Harm?" asked Mac nervously.

"Of course Mac, what's up?" replied Harm.

"Do you remember the conversation we had about having children?" asked Mac.

"I remember that you said your chances of conceiving were very low. We talked about some other options like In Vitro fertilization and the possibility of adoption." answered Harm. He wondered what was going on.

"While I was over in Iraq, I visited one of the local orphanage for Major Alexander. He was hoping that I could help them out. While I was there I met a little girl who is about four or five years old.

She asked me if I was her new mommy. I was a little surprise, but I realized that she looked a lot like me when I was her age. I began to wonder about what it would be like to have a little girl in my life, in our lives." explained Mac.

"You want to adopt her?" asked Harm.

He knew she wanted to have children, their children. She had been a little depressed last year when the doctor told her that her chances of conceiving a baby was very poor at best. Even though he tried to have a conversation with her about other options, she wasn't ready. Was she ready now?

"I was thinking about it, but only if you want to." replied Mac hopefully.

"I want you to be happy Mac. If you want to adopt her, I'll be there for you. I saw you with Chloe. I've seen how wonderful you are with Harriet's children." smiled Harm.

"The director of the orphanage said it would be easier to adopt her and it would go smoother if we were married." informed Mac.

"So you would like to move up the date for the wedding. I guess I better speed up the process of finding us a house to live in too." replied Harm letting her know he understood.

Monday

18 April 2005

General's office

Jag Headquarters

A few days later Mac was back at JAG. It had been a fruitful trip. She had arranged for the problem child to stay in Iraq for another six months. Her tranquility would be preserved during the duration.

She had met a little girl that wanted her to be her mother. It had enabled her to see that she could love a child that was not her own. She could see that her future could be everything she had hoped it could be.

"Colonel MacKenzie reporting as ordered Sir." reported Mac.

"At ease Colonel. I have read Major Alexander's report. It seems that you have persuaded him to keep the lieutenant under his wing for another six months." observed the General.

"No Sir, I just pointed out some of the lieutenant's deficiencies. The Major apologized to me that he had been lax in his duties and that he hadn't corrected the Lieutenant of those deficiencies. He would strive to do better in the future. Besides Sir, he was in need of another lawyer, he's been short handed for more than six months." corrected Mac.

"Very well Colonel, It's not often that the Major volunteers for extra duty." smiled the General.

"Not at all Sir. He saw an opportunity to educate a squid in the marine way of doing things and took it." replied Mac.

"Were you able to handle the Commander this easily when you first worked with him?" asked the General.

"Sir, no one is able to handle the Commander especially me. If I had the control of his behavior as so many people like to think I have, we would have been married six years ago Sir." corrected Mac.

"The Commander takes care of anyone that needs his help especially his friends. His passion is searching for the truth. He will not let an officer or enlisted personnel get railroad by Navy or the Marines just because it is convenient or to save their face.

He has always shown the proper respect to senior officers and all those that are equally deserving. Any disrespect in the past was when an officer tried to prevent him from doing his job or save the life of a fellow officer." said Mac correcting the General's misperception.

Tuesday

1 May 2005

Basra Orphanage

Two weeks later Mac was back in Iraq. She wanted to check in with Mr. Mohammed to see if he had gotten the donations that she had arranged to send to him through several agencies. Bobbie had been a great help in assisting her.

"Good morning Mr. Mohammed. I wanted to see if the supplies that I arranged to be sent to you arrived." greeted Mac in Arabic. Even though he spoke English, he was more comfortable speaking in his native language.

Mac also liked the idea of speaking Arabic. It wasn't often that she got the opportunity to use her language skills. It was a skill that she was very proud of and enjoyed using every chance she got.

"Yes Colonel, Major Alexander delivered the supplies to us three days ago. You have been very generous. I will be able to send some of the supplies to a friend who runs an orphanage in another city. He has similar needs." replied Mr. Mohammed.

"If you can draw up a list of other orphanages that are in need, I can let the right people know. We have a civilian organization over here in Iraq that is responsible for meeting your needs. They have been doing a good job in other parts of Iraq." requested Mac.

"Thank you Colonel, your efforts are greatly appreciated. Too many children are suffering because of the selfish needs of those seeking revenge. They aren't happy or satisfied that we are out from under the yoke of Saddam Hussein.

Now I suppose you want to see Sarie." smiled Mr. Mohammed.

"Yes please, if it's not too much trouble." replied Mac.

A short time later Mac and Mr. Mohammed found Sarie playing with a small group of girls. Mr. Mohammed called for her to come over to where he and Mac were standing. Mac was surprised to see another girl walk over with Sarie. She looked to be much younger. Mac got down on one knee to talk to her on her level.

"Hello Sarie, do you remember me?" asked Mac in Farsi.

"Yes, I asked you are you my new mommy?" she replied sadly.

"That's right Sarie. Would you like me to be your mommy?" asked Mac.

Sarie nodded her head and gave her a beautiful little smile.

"Who is your little friend?" asked Mac.

"She is my sister. She is two years old. Her name is Amrel." she replied holding up two fingers surprising Mac. She was so cute and adorable. Mac wanted her too.

Mac asked Amrel "Would you like me to be your mommy?"

Mac watched as the little girl whispered to her sister who nodded her head. Sarie whispered to her sister who nodded her head in return.

Mac and Mr. Mohammed went to his office to talk.

"I know we talked about you adopting Sarie the last time you were here Colonel. As you can see though it isn't quite so simple, she has a sister." Mr. Mohammed informed Mac.

He hoped that the Colonel wouldn't be discouraged about adopting the girl. The Colonel had proven to be a special lady as far as he was concern.

"I was a little surprise, but I think it's wonderful. It will help in her transition to American life." replied Mac.

"The main concern that the ministry will have is that the girls don't speak English and your ability to teach them about their culture. You have demonstrated to me that you are fluent in both Farsi and Arabic, which is very good.

You have also told me that your mother's family is Persian. That is also good. Your grandmother taught you about your heritage. That makes me believe that you would do the same." said Mr. Mohammed looking for confirmation.

"Even if I didn't speak the language or was half Persian, I would still want to teach her about her culture. It's one of the things that most Americans are proud of, where their families came from.

American culture is built upon assimilating the cultures of the people who immigrated to the Unite States. We believe that diversity adds to the strength of a nation, and does not make it weaker. America is a melting pot of many people and many cultures.

I'll be married in two weeks. My husband to be is excited about adopting Sarie. I'm sure he will want to adopt Amrel too." added Mac.

"Very good Colonel, I will have the paperwork ready for you when you return." said Mr. Mohammed.


	5. Chapter 5

Title: _**You Have a Sister**_

author:_ rooster dawn_

pairing: Harm and Mac

Time: Season 10

Summary: Mac's life moves forward after she finds a daughter on a trip to Iraq.

Disclaimers: The characters of JAG are the property of Donald Bellisario and Bellisarius Production, Inc. Used without permission. No copyright infringement intended. May be reproduce if unchanged, author given full credit, and no financial transaction is involved.

_Feedback is greatly appreciated and welcomed._

part five

Monday

13 June 2005

General's office

The General checked the sign in board in Coate's office to see where his people were going to be for the week. He was surprised to see Rabb was on leave and the Colonel was on her way to Iraq again. He wondered why?

Surely she wasn't checking up on Vukovic. She didn't like him at all. He still had four months of contrition to survive before he would be returning to JAG. He decided to call the Colonel into his office for a talk.

"I was surprised to see on the board that you're heading back to Iraq again Colonel. I don't understand, we don't have a need for a lawyer there to try cases or conduct an investigation." queried the General.

"It's a follow up trip for Congresswoman Laythem. She's quite concern about the orphans. She has made it her top priority this year. She wants to make sure that with all the money that is being spent in Iraq, that the orphans are being taken care of Sir." replied Mac.

"How did you get sucked into one of her projects?" asked the General.

He had read about the Congresswoman and Sturgis had filled him on her background. She was the Navy's biggest headache. She always had some cause that she was championing. Usually she ended up on the wrong side.

"Unfortunately Sir, I've known her for some time now. She used to get Harm to do her work, but she's been staying away from him after her fiasco with the Sarin Nerve Gas stunt.

She wouldn't listen to him when he told her that she didn't have all the information she needed to conduct a proper investigation. In the end she ended up being embarrassed in front of her peers and the press.

She wanted to make the marines look bad. She was willing to listen to a reporter who was willing to give her what she wanted even though it wasn't the truth. Harm didn't believe the reporter's story so he went looking for the truth.

He put in the effort and found out what the truth was, that the marines didn't use Sarin gas to kill the three American scientists." replied Mac.

"I'm also going to Iraq to adopt two girls. They are four and two years old."

"How did this happen Colonel?" asked the General.

"Interesting that you should me asked Sir. It's partially your fault. You're the one who sent me to Iraq to see Major Alexander to check on the lieutenant's progress. The Major sent me to the orphanage.

It seems he has been trying to help out several of the local orphanages. It was at one of them where I met the girls. The older one asked me if I was her new mommy. How could I say no to a beautiful little girl.

It had to be kismet Sir. Harm and I were getting married. We were talking about adoption. And here I met a young girl who wanted me for her mommy." explained Mac as her eyes began to tear up.

"If that's what you want Colonel, then congratulation. I'm sure you'll make a great parent. I'll hold my judgment about Rabb." smiled the General.

"Sir, the Commander has always been very good with kids. He's been a volunteer for many years with the YMCA. He's spent time teaching some kids how to read and help coached different team sports when he has the time.

He's been a champion of children's right for as long as I've known him. He's also the godfather of Bud and Harriet's kids. He was also the guardian to a teenager whose mother had died and a father who had abandoned her after her mother's death.

He took her in with Coate's assistance and got her back into school. It gave her father the time he needed to sober up and get his life back together." replied Mac correcting another misconception the General had.

She hated that people always assumed the worse in Harm when in reality they were too lazy to review the facts, that he was a great leader who took care of the people under his command and any other person who happened to be in his life.

"My apologies Colonel, you're right. It's not my place to comment on the Commander's parenting skills. Even if you do everything right there is no guarantee that you will like how your child turns out." apologized the General.

Thursday

16 June 2005

New Home

Harm started looking for a house the day Mac told him about wanting to adopt a little girl from Iraq. He was a little surprised at hearing the news, but was quite happy that Mac wasn't dwelling on what she couldn't have, but on what she could.

He worked with a realtor looking for a four bedroom house within twenty to thirty minutes of work. He also wanted a backyard for any children that they might have for them to play in. He looked at about ten different houses before finally showing Mac three of them.

They decided on an older house with five bedrooms, four baths, a large walk in kitchen, a formal dining room, a large family room and several smaller rooms that they would use as offices.

As a wedding gift Frank had given them the down payment for the house. It amounted to fifty percent of the price of the house. They were able to close three weeks later leaving Harm three weeks to wall paper or paint the rooms that were in need.

He got Jack Keeter, Bud, Gunny, Jason, and Sturgis to help him move his belongings from his apartment first and then Mac's belongings from her apartment to the new house. His bed and their other bedroom items ended up in the master bedroom.

They of course complained about all the stuff they were expected to move in only a few hours. Harm told them not to worry if everything didn't make its way to the right room. Mac would probably decide later to move some of it anyway.

They moved her bed into the guestroom and bought some other bedroom items to complete the room including a small writing desk and chair to relax in. He bought a bedroom set for Sarie, but then had to buy another set later after Mac told him Sarie had a little sister.

It took most of the day to move everything. Harm bought four pizzas and a half keg of beer ready to reward everyone. They all enjoyed themselves and were able to catch the Oriole/Red Sox game on TV after moving everything in.

"Are you sure that you're ready for this Harm?" asked Sturgis.

"Yeah, it was tough learning to live with Harriet in the beginning. She had her stuff everywhere. None of my stuff was good enough for the apartment." moaned Bud.

"Never mind having a couple of kids underfoot." chuckled Jack.

"I've been waiting for this for a long time Sturgis. It's one of the reasons I dated Annie. But living with Mac has been a dream of mine since the day I first met her.

After Diane died, I didn't think I could love anyone again. Then I saw Mac and I thought I had a second chance for love." replied Harm.

"Why then did you wait so long for Sir?" asked Gunny a bit curious.

"We both had our issues to deal with. For me I was still mourning Diane's death. I was still obsessed with finding my father. And I still held out hope that I would fly again someday. If I did return to flying,

I didn't want to take a chance of leaving behind a wife and child incase I was shot down. It took my mother a long time to get over losing my father. Frank was a special man to give her time to grieve and learn to love him while still being in love with another man." sighed Harm.

"Are you ready for two little girls Harm? I understand that they don't even speak any English." asked Sturgis.

"I think so. Mac has so much love to give and as I'm sure Bud can tell you, the girls will have a lot of love to give in return. Mac told me that she would begin teaching them a few phrases in English to make it easier." smiled Harm.

"I wish you the best of luck Sir." offered Jason.

"Lets stop talking about all this mushy stuff and put the ball game on. Where's the beer Jason!" bellowed Jack.


	6. Chapter 6

Title: _**You Have a Sister**_

author:_ rooster dawn_

pairing: Harm and Mac

Time: Season 10

Summary: Mac's life moves forward after she finds a daughter on a trip to Iraq.

Disclaimers: The characters of JAG are the property of Donald Bellisario and Bellisarius Production, Inc. Used without permission. No copyright infringement intended. May be reproduce if unchanged, author given full credit, and no financial transaction is involved.

_Feedback is greatly appreciated and welcomed._

part six

Friday

17 June 2005

Military Base

Southern Iraq

The day had finally come for Mac to bring home the girls to start their new lives in America. She had visited them several times over the last couple of months. She and the girls had bonded and they were looking forward going to a new home and living with their new mommy and daddy.

She got to the orphanage early so that she could talk to the girls. She wanted to explain to them what was going to happen over the next two days. They would be getting on a big airplane to take them to their new home. It would be a long trip and that they would hopefully sleep a lot.

She showed them on a globe of the world how far they would be going, almost half way around the world. They looked at her bugged eyed as she explained.

She spent an hour teaching them a few words of English since their new daddy didn't speak Farsi or Arabic. 'My name is Sarie, My name is Amrel, I love you mommy, I love you daddy, I'm hungry (rub belly), and I'm thirsty (make a drinking motion to lips).

When they got on the plane they were met by a nice stewardess name Isabella. She helped Mac get the girls settled into their seats. She complimented Mac on how well her little girls behaved. They looked so much like Mac.

Mac assured Isabella that the girls were nervous about being in a new place and traveling on an airplane. That had them behaving like little angels. She was sure that after the newness of what they were doing wore off they would be probably be more like themselves and maybe be a little cranky.

Isabella informed Mac that they had toys and coloring books on board for children if she needed something for the girls to do. Mac thanked her, but told her that she had everything she needed for them including several books to read them.

Mac had done some marine recon before she left. She had talked to Harriet a few times over the last couple of months about traveling with small children. Harriet had given her the heads up about how to make the trip easier including drink packs with straws,

fruits, and chips for them to drink and munch on. Small children could get very fussy when they were traveling. Trying new foods wasn't one of the things they like to do.

The first part of the flight to Germany was uneventful as Mac held Amrel in her arms while she read to her in Farsi. Isabella listen intently to Mac's beautiful voice as she told the story to the girls, in a language she didn't recognize or understand.

"What language is that Sarah? It sounds so beautiful." asked Isabella.

"It's Farsi. It's the only language they know. We're traveling to America, Washington DC to be more precise. It's where my husband and I both live and work. We're lawyers. He's in the Navy and I'm in the Marines."

"How did you happen to learn Farsi? It's not a common language for Americans to speak." asked Isabella.

"My grandmother was from Iran. She moved to England and then to America. She taught me how to speak it." replied Mac.

"Do you speak any other languages?" asked Isabella.

"I speak many other languages, I lost count of how many. I learned Spanish and French in high school. I learned Russian, German, and Italian in College. I picked up Japanese when I was stationed there for eighteen months.

I picked up a couple Slavic languages when I was in Bosnia. Over the last few years I've picked up Arabic and Hebrew because of the war on terrorism." replied Mac.

"Wow! That's amazing. I speak a few languages since I travel throughout Europe as a stewardess, but I can't comprehend speaking as many languages as you do." replied Isabella.

"Most Americans that I know are lucky if they speak one other language other than English. My husband is such a person. He speaks a little Spanish only because he grew up in San Diego." smiled Mac.

"How is he going to be able to communicate with the girls?" asked Isabella.

"He has a way of communicating with women of all ages. He will smile and they will fall in love. He'll say something and they will look befuddle, but somehow he will get his point across to them. He's very good with kids." smiled Mac.

"Show the nice lady a picture of your new daddy." said Mac in Farsi.

Sarie showed the picture of Harm and Mac together. Isabella whistled at what she saw. Harm was very tall and good looking. They made a very nice looking couple. Sarie pointed first to Harm and then to Mac.

"Daddy, mommy." said Sarie in English causing Amrel to want to look. She too said "Mommy, daddy" in English.

Isabella smiled. What a nice way to start a new family.

"You make a good looking couple Sarah. How long have you been married?" asked Isabella.

"Only for a few weeks, but we've been working together for almost nine years. We've traveled all over the world together. From Korea and Japan to Australia, throughout the middle east, Russia and half of Europe, and a few countries in South America too." smiled Mac.

"If you need any help with the girls Sarah let me know. I'll make sure that you're taken care of." offered Isabella.

"Thank you." replied Sarah.

They traveled to London from Iraq with an hour stopover in Germany. Isabella help Mac with the girls as they made the transfer to another plane stopping in a fast food restaurant to get a hamburger and fries with a chocolate milkshake.

The girls liked the fries and milkshake, but weren't too impressed with the hamburger. Must be an acquired taste laughed Mac. Harm would love to hear that his two little girls didn't like dead cow.

They arrived in London about 1800 hours Greenwich, but for the girls it was 2100 hours their time, well past their bedtime. Mac took them to a hotel for the night since their flight to New York wasn't leaving until 0900 hours Greenwich the next morning.

She called Harm to let him know what flight that they would be arriving on and their ETA at Dulles International. She told him that the girls had behaved very well considering they were on a plane all day and that they were tired.

"Hi Harm, it's me Sarah. I'm in London. We should be in Washington around noontime tomorrow." greeted Mac.

"You must be tired. You had a long trip to Iraq before heading back. You didn't stay there very long. How are the girls?" asked Harm.

"They've been good surprisingly. They haven't been cranky yet, maybe tomorrow. I've taught them a few words of English so that they can talk to you a little. How is the house? Did everybody behave while moving everything in?" asked Mac.

"Everything looks good though we might have to move a thing or two. We got the job done early enough to order pizza and watched the ball game. They lost again." replied Harm.

"They better not have left a mess. The last thing I'm going to want to do when I get home is walk into a dirty house and have to clean it." whined a tired Mac.

"Everything is spit shine Mac. They all wanted to come over tomorrow and meet the girls, but I told them it would probably be too much after all the traveling you have done.

I think the girls will need some time to adjust to being here before meeting too many new people all at once, especially since they don't speak or understand any English." replied Harm.

"Love you Harm." cooed Mac.

"I love you too Sarah."


	7. Chapter 7

Title: _**You Have a Sister**_

author:_ rooster dawn_

pairing: Harm and Mac

Time: Season 10

Summary: Mac's life moves forward after she finds a daughter on a trip to Iraq.

Disclaimers: The characters of JAG are the property of Donald Bellisario and Bellisarius Production, Inc. Used without permission. No copyright infringement intended. May be reproduce if unchanged, author given full credit, and no financial transaction is involved.

_Feedback is greatly appreciated and welcomed._

part seven

Saturday

18 June 2005

Dulles International

Harriet was on the phone early the next morning. She was looking forward to see Mac and welcoming the girls to America. She wanted to come over with the kids. Bud had tried to talk her out of it.

Harm had told him that they didn't want any company. They wanted to take the time to get the girls settled in and acquainted with their new surroundings. They wouldn't be up to entertaining anyone and the children wouldn't understand what was going on and would be scared.

"Commander, this Harriet. I was wondering what time the Colonel was arriving back in Washington." asked Harriet.

"Good morning Harriet, I'm fine. Yes it is a beautiful day. I might go to the beach and lay in the sun for an hour or two." replied Harm.

"I'm sorry Sir, I'm just excited that your girls are coming home today. I can't wait to see them." apologized Harriet.

"They're scheduled to arrive at the airport around noontime. I'm going to pick them up at the airport and bring them home. They're going to be very tired with all the traveling they've done. Mac doesn't think they will be up to seeing anyone today.

We're thinking about inviting some people over in a couple of weeks. The girls will need time to acclimate to being in a new environment. She wants to give them time to get familiar with us before introducing too many new people into their lives." replied Harm.

"I understand Sir. Say hello to the Colonel for Bud and me Sir." sighed a disappointed Harriet. She had been looking forward to getting out of the house. It wasn't often with four kids.

"Harriet, if you and Bud are going to come over our house in the future you can't keep on calling us Ma'am and Sir or by our rank." Harm tried to reason with her once again.

"Yes Harm." she replied.

Harm went to the airport later that morning to pick up Mac and the girls. He thought Mac would have enough trouble dealing with two young girls in a new environment without trying to handle getting their belongings through baggage claims and getting them stowed in the SUV for the ride home.

He arrived early and saw that the plane was going to arrive on time. He went into the Dunkin Donuts to grab himself a cup of coffee. He sat down and skimmed over some of the phrases in Farsi that Mac had written out for him.

They thought it would help the girls in the transition if he could at least communicate to the girls on a basic level. It wasn't long before the plane arrived and the passengers began disembarking from the plane.

He figured that with two small girls Mac would be one of the last people getting off the plane. She would be concerned with their safety. It would be hard for adults to see two small children when they were tired and wanted to get off the plane.

Ten minutes later Harm saw Mac walking into the terminal carrying one of the two girls. A stewardess was carrying the other. They look so beautiful. It was no wonder why she fell in love with them.

If he didn't know any better he would have thought they looked exactly like Mac. He walked over to Mac and offered to take the bags she was carrying and one of the girls. He gave Mac a kiss. He saw one of the girls whispering to Mac.

"Is he our new daddy?"

Mac smiled to the girls and told them "Sarie, Amrel, here is your new daddy. Say hello to him."

"Hi daddy!" they both said.

Tears came to his eyes when he heard them call him daddy. The pounding of his heart grew louder and stronger. If he wasn't in love with them before, he was now. He gave them both a kiss on their cheek and said

"I love you." in Farsi bringing a smile to the girls who said "I love you daddy!"

Saturday

18 June 2005

new house

Harm took Mac and the girls home where they were met by Frank and Trish. Mac pointed out the different sites along the way until they finally reached their new home. Frank and Trish came out onto the porch when the heard them arrive.

"Sarie, Amrel, this is your new home." said Mac in Farsi.

They looked up at it and were awestruck at the immense size. They had never seen a house look so big.

"Big!" said Sarie.

"Yes it is sweetie. And this is the yard with grass." said Mac before taking them out of the car and walking over to Frank and Trish.

"Sarie, Amrel, these are your new grandparents, grandma Trish and grandpa Frank. Do you want to give them a hug." introduce Mac.

The girls walked over to Frank and Trish and held out their arms for a hug. Frank and Trish knelt down on one knee to take them into their arms to give a hug and kiss.

"Hi Sarie, Hi Amrel." said Trish.

They all then walked around the house to the backyard where Harm showed them a set of two swings, a teeter totter, a sandbox, and many other toys. The girls' eyes lit up when they saw the swing and quickly ran to it have a swing.

Mac had tears come to her eyes as she realized that the girls were going to be happy here and would make the adjustment. She watched as Harm and Frank pushed the girls on the swings.

After a little while they went up to the back porch to eat lunch. Mac had left word with Harm what foods they were use to eating while they were in the orphanage. The time to introduce them to new alternatives would come later.

After they ate lunch they took the girls up to their new room. They were surprised, happy to learn that they would have their own bed. They slept together in the same bed with two other girls at the orphanage.

Saturday

30 July 2005

new house

Six weeks later Harm and Mac invited a group of their friends and family over for an afternoon barbeque. The General had allowed Mac six weeks family leave to allow her the time to get the girl situated and adjusted to living in a new environment.

The first two weeks was buying them clothes, reading to them in both Farsi and English, and beginning to teach the to speak English everyday so they could communicate with their new daddy and grandparents.

Over the second two weeks she began immersing them with other children with limited English speaking ability for a few hours a day. It gave them the chance to spend time with other children and it helped to reinforce their ability to speak English.

By the six weeks she began leaving them at a child care center for a few hours to get them accustomed to not being with her. It was hard for Mac since the girls' English was still limited and she was afraid that they would feel abandon.

Fortunately the girls were picking up English quite quickly and they enjoyed spending time with other children. Mac would drop in to see them during her lunch hour and Harm would stop in later in the day.

Everyone brought food or drink with them along with a house warming gift and gifts for the girls. There were twenty adults with an equal amount of children.

They had invited AJ, Tom, Jack, Sturgis, Bud and Harriet, Jen and Jason, Victor, Biff, Bobby, and Carolyn to name a few. They also invited a few of their neighbors who had children of their own.

The girls had big saucer eyes when they saw all the presents for them. They had a marry time opening all the presents and said "thank you" to each of the persons that gave them gifts.

After the girls opened all their presents, they and the other children went down into the back yard to play. Mac gave the women a tour of the house before ending up on the back porch to watch the children play.

The men all stood around the grill drinking beer or some other liquor talking about baseball and how both the local team were doing poorly again.

"The girls are so adorable Sarah, they look just like you." sighed Carolyn wishing that they were hers.

"How did you find them Mac?" asked Jen.

"I was in Iraq checking up on the wayward lieutenant when I visited one of the local orphanages for Bobby. The owner was showing me around when Sarie walked up to me and asked me if I was her new mommy." said Mac bringing a tear to all their eyes.

"That's so sweet." said Carolyn.

"The next time I visited a few weeks later Sarie had another little girl with her. It was her little sister Amrel. I knew I had to have them. I felt God was giving me another chance to have a family of my own. I couldn't pass up the opportunity. It took some doing, but Harm and I was finally able to adopt them." explain Mac.

At the grill

"You've done well for yourself Harm. You finally married your marine and have two wonderful girls." smiled Tom.

"It took him long enough. There were a few times when Nelson and I thought that we would have to pull a few strings to keep them here, but somehow he found a way to screw up." moaned AJ.

"I know many of you thought that way, but we both had a lot of personal issues to work through. Some you all know about, but many of which we can't really talk about. Of course seeing other people didn't help matters too much,

but I have to accept most of the blame. Mac let me know a few times that she was ready. I froze a few times, but mostly we didn't communicated very well with each other. But that's all pass and we're where we're suppose to be and we're very happy." Harm tried to explain.

"I happy for you buddy. I know how much you have always wanted to be with Mac and have family. I wish you the best in years to come." saluted Jack.

A year later they were transferred to London. Harm was the new head of JAG in Europe and Mac was the head of Middle East Intelligence.

****

The End


End file.
